Analyzing Leadership and Management at Sports Direct: A Case Study

This case study examines the leadership and management practices of Sports Direct, a multinational British retail company. It explores essential leadership theories, the role of leadership and management in the company's growth, and the impact of team working principles. The analysis includes how Sports Direct implements change procedures and addresses ethical considerations. The report distinguishes between leadership and management, highlighting the importance of effective strategies, employee motivation, and ethical decision-making. The case study also delves into how Sports Direct has adapted its organizational structure and marketing activities. It emphasizes the crucial role of leadership in adapting to socio-economic risks and opportunities, as well as the significance of ethical considerations in maintaining a strong brand image and customer loyalty.

Case Study

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
Main Body ......................................................................................................................................2
1. Recognising as well as distinguishing essential theories, perception and debate on their
utilization in sports direct company............................................................................................2
2 Recognising the way leadership and management enabled sports direct to grow from a
single store to its current size......................................................................................................3
3. Analysing the way team working principles and theories underpin the effective leadership
as well as management style.......................................................................................................4
4. Identifying the way sport direct organisation effectively as well as successful implement
change procedure .......................................................................................................................5
5. Ethical and value based considerations as well as challenges faced by Sports direct ...........6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
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INTRODUCTION
Management is the important part of business operations. Manager in the organisation
required to adopt approach or plans suitable tactics to manage various business procedures as
well as people at workplace. Effective management system helps in controlling the cost ,
increasing working efficiency and improving productivity. It also assists business entity in
achieving success and fostering growth. Leadership is the qualities that is required to be posses
by leader for managing team and subordinate performance in systematic as well as effective
manner.
The purpose of the project is developed the understanding about several theories as well
as identify the employees' perception related to their leader. Report also have focus on
identifying the suitable techniques or methods which can be used for applying or introducing
these concepts into sport direct company.
Main Body
Sport direct company is recognised as multinational British organisation operating in
retail industry.
1. Recognising as well as distinguishing essential theories, perception and debate on their
utilization in sports direct company.
Manager or leaders in an enterprise are recognised as powerful personalities who have
high potential to support firm in converting several threats into opportunities. These people have
high strength to support business entity in overcoming complex and critical situation. Manager or
leader in a company supports firm in providing appropriate response to the difficult situations
(Iqbal, 2013)
The traits of leader have been the important subject for debate among several authors.
The trait theory of leadership states that the success of leaders is dependent on the quality posses
by them. Few characteristics of leader can help them in determining the reason for their failure or
success at workplace. The trait concept related to the leadership is based on the assumption that
an individual have a chance to become leader crossways a various situations and project. It is
required by the leader to adopt the leadership style as per the demand of situation as well as need
by subordinates. As there is no specific leadership style which can be applied to all type of
situations. Traits theory also dictates that there is crucial and direct link between leadership and
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qualities. As per this model leaders in sports direct company required to develop following skills
and core competencies such as extroversion, self-effacing , intelligence ,conscientiousness and
desire to gain experience as well as learn new things. As these abilities will assist them in
becoming successful and effective leaders. It will also support leader in performing their roles as
fulfilling their responsibilities. These skills also help leaders in fostering their professional as
well as personal growth. Whereas, stephen Zaccaro has argued on the subject matter that
effectual leadership qualities s derived from a unified integration of cognitive skills, thinking
power , social capabilities and affectation tendencies with each traits providing individual a
power to the influence of the other people to improve their performance at workplace. As per the
view of stephen Zaccaro the manger or leader in sports direct organisation required to develop
additional competencies such as interpersonal ability, problem-solving skills , creativity and
honesty. As this will assist leaders or manager in developing as well as maintaining strong
relationship with superordinate. It will also support leader in motivating workers to increase their
participations in business activities and decision-making procedure (Kathy and Deborah, 2007)
There some leadership style which can be used by leaders for managing business
operation , people and their performance within an enterprise. According to the view of Burns,
transformational leadership is the style which is adopted by those leaders who intents to support
followers helps in their professional development On the other hand, Bass states that
transformational leadership is dignified by the impact it has on subordinates. In other words
effectiveness of leaders can be judge on the basis of perception as well as thinking of
subordinates. As per the contingency theory which is states that the effectiveness of the leader
can be measures in terms of the method adopted by them to deal with complex situations.
Effectualness of leaders can be determined on the basis of nature of task as well as their
personality. In case of sports direct, leader is needed to follow the wide-range theories related
leadership. As this is a necessary constituent of transformational leaders position which assist in
rising motivation and enhancing employee morale (Hakanen and van Dierendonck,2013)
2 Recognising the way leadership and management enabled sports direct to grow from a single
store to its current size.
Leadership is known as well as judged in terms of complex global socio-economic,
environmental risks and opportunities. In the firm manager and leader work together in order to
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carry out business activities in an effective manner. Manager play significant role within the firm
as it formulate different strategies to drive the firm for accomplishing success. Along with this it
also motivate employees and appreciate them for their good performance so that employees work
hard for the firm (Barrick and et.al., 2013)
On the side role of leader is to delegate work to employees and direct them toward the
goal. Along with this, it also motivates employees toward the task and help them whenever they
face problems. Leader also help manager in implementing the strategies which is formulated by
firm. They both work together so that all the work move in a right direction and goals and
objectives can be accomplished on time. At the time of making decision manager and leader also
consider views of employees for making effective decision. This make employees feel valuable
and motivate them toward the work. Apart from this, leader of the sport direct company has
supported firm in avoiding any kind of risk and carrying out business activities in an effective
manner. Both manager and leader work together in order to ensure that all the strategies get
implemented successfully. They also focus on providing training and development facility to
employees so that there weak are can be improved and they can work hard for enhancing
productivity (AlMazrouei and Zacca,2015)
3. Analysing the way team working principles and theories underpin the effective leadership as
well as management style.
Team work is important in the organisation for accomplishing the task in an effective
manner. It also assists company to accomplish goal on time. Along with this team work help in
overcome the challenges and barrier which can be faced while carrying out task and provide
direction to complete it. Manager or leader in Sports Direct company required to focus on team
working so that all the work can be completed without nay issues. However, to work in a team it
is not easy there are many time conflicts take place that can affect the way of working. In such
circumstance team leader and manager play significant role in respect to resolve dispute. Along
with this manager and leader of team can delegate task to each employees according to their
skills and knowledge that help in carrying out work in a effective manner. Further, whenever
team member stuck on single task leader provide guidance to complete it in an appropriate
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manner. While working in a team there are various types of skills can be developed and
employees can learn new things from each other(Krogh, Nonaka and Rechsteiner, 2012)
4. Identifying the way sport direct organisation effectively as well as successful implement
change procedure
Effectiveness of Leaders or manager has supported sport direct company in bringing
positive change at workplace. Activeness and qualities posed by these people has enabled
business entity to implement successful change at workplace. Leaders and manager in sport
direct organisation has fulfilled their responsibilities as well as role in effective and systematic
manner due to which company has able to generate desired outcome. Manager in cited business
venture has supported firm as well as stakeholders in developing the understanding about the
need , benefit and value of change within an enterprise. Manager has completed their task by
communicating the information about the procedures to employees and other stakeholder. This
activity has assisted management team in seeking support of employees and aided in eliminating
the several obstacles which might occur in facilitating changes in a company. Appropriate
training arrangement has been made by manager which has enabled employees to gain the
knowledge about the task or activity they are required to execute during the procedure (Kaur,
2015)
The sport direct company has made drastic improvement in production system. This
change has been planned by manager in an organisation on the basis of complaints made by the
client related to quality of products. The another changes has been made in the marketing
activities. Business entity has starting using the social media for promoting the products and
generating the brand awareness. This change has provided a firm an opportunity to increase
profit , sales and generate high revenue. The another major improvement has been facilitated in
the business structure. As earlier because of centralised organisational structure, there has
always been delayed in the decision making due to which sport direct company has to face
losses. This factor had significant and direct impact on business performance , considering this
fact , management team in an enterprise has planned to make improvement in organisational
structure (Krogh, Nonaka and Rechsteiner, 2012)
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5. Ethical and value based considerations as well as challenges faced by Sports direct
Leaders or manager in any company also have intention to bring the positive change at
work place but without compromising the values as well as ethics. As these people have
understanding that value and ethics are the two significant factors which helps the form in
gaining customer loyalty. Manager and leaders in sports direct are aware about the fact that
ethics , value and increasing the employees moral are essential in terms of accomplishment of
business objectives(Hakanen and van Dierendonck, 2013) Ethics and values have great and
direct influence on employees' behaviour and performance at workplace. Planning as well as
implementing change with an enterprise which is operating in bid industry is very difficult and
complex procedure. As this factor has direct as well as significant effect on the sustainability of
organisations. The important values of individuals, groups, and an organisation have an essential
influence not only on company but also on society as a whole. Ethics and values helps business
entity in gaining popularity. These are the factors which support an enterprise in developing as
well as maintaining reputation and brand image. Managers or leaders in present scenario are
normally quite highly concerned about issues related to social responsibility and Ethical
behaviour as due to the pressure created by customers as well as stakeholders and also by
government authorities. Presently the local government authorities in UK had created and
implemented the policies which duty-bound its constitutional parts to allow the participation of
workers on an equal status in making decision related to bringing improvement within an
enterprise. These regulations have been designed by legal authority on the basis of the
information that rights of customers as well as employees are exploited by manager or leaders
for fulfilling their personal goals. An ethics in a firm are integrated in culture which is reflected
in its ethics which might get effected by the change within an enterprise (Lee and Lawrence,
2013)
CONCLUSION
The project has concluded that there are many factors which influence an organisation to
bring improvement or facilitate changes in several policies , procedure and system. It has been
concluded from the study that , manager or leaders in an enterprise required to gain depth
knowledge about the field as well as they ned to posses specialised competencies and knowledge
in order to bring positive change at workplace. Employees engagement is important in terms of
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implementing successful change within a firm. It is required by manager or leader in an
enterprise to develop appropriate strategies as well as plan for encouraging employees and other
stakeholder to support change. As this activity will aid management team in eliminating the
hurdles which can occur in conducting the change procedure.
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REFERENCES
Books and journal:
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